


general studies on ghosts

by tsun4de



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Falling In Love, Gay Male Character, Ghosts, Good Slytherins, Hogwarts, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nonbinary Character, Slytherin Common Room, Suicide
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-03
Updated: 2020-01-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:48:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22106584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tsun4de/pseuds/tsun4de
Summary: A 16-year-old Slytherin, Keith Eldridge is described by his classmates as an evil angry emo. His parents always had high expectations for him and Hogwarts was always a place where he could be free.Not anymore.
Relationships: Original Male Character(s)/Original Male Character(s)
Kudos: 3





	general studies on ghosts

First of September has always been a day of freedom for Keith Eldridge, a sixteen-years-old Hogwarts student. He did not even say goodbye to his parents properly – just mumbled "bye" and ran into the train as fast as he could, carrying a fat persian cat in his arms. He finally felt free and could be himself for the first time since the beginning of summer break. He almost smiled to himself but soon realized that his closest classmate is calling him.

"Wassup, Keith?" Bryce Rowbottom raised his plump hand to welcome his friend. Eldridge noticed that he was already eating something. And the train didn't even move. "How was your break?"

"Fine" Keith answered and sat in front of Bryce with his pet cat, Buster. "How about yours?"

"Pretty good. My parents took me to so many different places! I didn't even know that a country called Poland existed. They make delicious food, you should taste it someday! Maybe your dad could bring you something? I heard he travels a lot".

"Yes, but he said he needs a break from curse-breaking" Bryce laughed loudly at this joke "So I guess he will not have time to do that".

Randall Eldridge – every young wizard should know his name. A famous curse-breaker, there were not enough books that could describe his achiemevents. When Keith was 11 and was just about to become a Hogwarts student, a bunch of older students appeared asking him questions about their idol and they were expecting detailed answers. Young Eldridge was too excited to give them these, but he said as much as he could.

Bryce was also one of the fans, but too shy to talk to Keith. He did when they realized they are in the same house and have to share their dormitory. They became close acquaintances. Eldridge could not call anyone from Hogwarts a friend, but if he had to, it would be Bryce.

Bryce Rowbottom was really... big. There weren't any more words to describe his body, without being disrespectful. And Keith would not want to be disrespectful to his closest classmate. He just loved to eat and he ate a lot, because his parents would never forbid him that. He was their little sunshine, the tiny boy even if Bryce was really overweight.

Keith did not have to worry about that, his mother would always keep him fit and athletic enough to play quidditch. Her special diets were a must when he was coming home during the summer break.

His thoughts were stopped by a certain person that entered the compartment, smiling. Ophelia Auteberry.

"Wassup, Ophelia?" Bryce raised his right hand, looking at the girl with a visible joy, but she just smiled again and sat next to him.

Ophelia was considered the prettiest girl in Year 6. Not only by the Slyths, of course. Rumours were saying she dated a Year 7 Ravenclaw, but they were probably not true. A small group of people knew that she has a thing for Keith. And he knew about it, but pretended that he has no idea. He didn't want to break her heart and acting like he doesn't know anything was a better option.

"Buster!" she raised her hand to pet his cat. "I missed you so much!" 

Buster didn't like her that much as she liked him, so he just sticked to Keith's chest and closing his eyes, pretending he's asleep.

"I feel like you didn't miss us, but only Buster" Bryce looked disappointed. His relationship with Ophelia was known as 'complicated'. They didn't talk much but she tolerated him.

Keith slowly started to get bored over the journey and rest his head on the wall. He tried not to fall asleep at first but after about 15 minutes he gave up.

He woke up just after the train stopped. Ophelia already left and Bryce was standing and packing his food.  
"I will never know what she sees in you" he said sadly and after Keith woke Buster up, both of them walked to The Great Hall in silence.

It was a big day. Keith could finally eat what he wanted, not what his mother told him. Every food with calories, no limits. Bryce looked really happy too, even if he ate during the journey to Hogwarts.

"Hi there, Eldridge!" A Year 7 Slytherin waved at him. He didn't remember nie name. Probably another fan of his father. 

"Hello" he smiled and sat down, ready to eat, but Dumbledore had to say another few words and introduce the new Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher.

Of course he didn't hear anything thanks to Bryce, who was chewing a gum really loudly. "What is she called?", he asked and looked at her face.

Their new teacher looked like an experienced witch with a big scar under her left eye.

Her eyes. Keith has seen these eyes once before. A light blue eyes, but the blue was like really gentle. Like a sky in the summer, when the sun is shining but it is not hot. 

And then he noticed a tall, skinny, blue figure over the Hufflepuff table. It was a ghost, and he was... his color resembled the color of the new teacher's eyes.

Keith was sure he never saw that ghost before. It was really young, maybe a similiar age and the ghost was short compared to others. Somebody died at young age, but it was not that weird – Ravenclaw's ghost was also a young girl. The new chatted with the first years. Keith watched as he made some of the Hufflepuffs laugh. A friendly ghost, unlike the Bloody Baron. Eldridge analysed his looks to know if maybe he had seen this boy when he was still alive. Middle-parted messy hair, protruding ears. He didn't look tall.

No clue.

"Keith, you going?" Bryce stopped him from further investigation, grabbing his left shoulder, but the boy immediately recoiled. He hated when his left shoulder was touched.

"Sure." He whispered silently and joined his classmate. They walked to their common room in silence disturbed only by Bryce's chewing.

"Mrs Burnham is pretty scary, don't you think?" Suddenly Bryce asked a questions, a long question that Keith could not process clearly.

"Mrs Burnham? Who is it? Never heard of her"

"Keith, it's our new teacher. You didn't listen to Dumbledore". Bryce spit his gum out "It's not like I did"

"Gross" Keith looked at the gum with disgust and walked faster. "Bryce, did you see the new ghost? The one near Hufflepuff table"

"I guess I have better things to do than looking at Hufflepuffs. Which girl is it, Keith? Come on, I won't tell anyone"

Shit. If only Bryce knew that Keith was not interested in girls. Not only the Hufflepuff girls, but also the Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and even Slytherin gays.  
He was freaking gay but he never told it to anyone.

"I have to go to the bathroom" he turned around and run as fast as he could, even though Bryce wouldn't get near him even if he ran normally. 

He finally stopped next to the library. It was already past curfew, every student should be in their common room, so he got freaked out when he saw a short girl walking out of the library carrying a huge book in her arms.

And she was carrying it to a ghost. The ghost that he saw in the Great Hall!

Keith immediately hid behind a random armor and heard the ghost talk.

"Thank you, Al! Talk to me whenever you'll want to!" And got the book in his hands.

WAIT. Something was wrong. It was a ghost. A freaking ghost. The book should to through his hands. He should not be ale to carry it.  
"Hey, you! I can see you!" He heard a sudden laugh. The voice was the same. The ghost noticed him. Oh shit.

"Don't worry, they're gone. Al was just doing me a favor" Keith carefully looked at the ghost that was now smiling widely.

Wait a damn minute. 'They'? Keith just accidentally misgendered someone. He instantly felt embarassed as a part of the lgbt community. Respect nonbinary rights, he repeated in his mind.

"How are you fucking carrying this?" He asked when he finally could put his embarrasment away and pointed at the book in ghost's hands. "How are you not dead? Like dead dead. Absolutely dead. Like the other ghosts?"

The ghost pushed him on the wall. Keith groaned with pain when a huge book hit him in the stomach.

"Shh... it's past curfew. Go back to your common room" the ghost just handed him the book and flew away really fast.

Keith looked at the thing that he was holding.

"General studies on ghosts".


End file.
